Circular-knitted stockings and method



May 23, 1967 G. BILLI CIRCULAR-KNITTED STOCKINGS AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1965 May 23, 1967 S ,D O2 H.. T E M QM., i

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United States Patent O 1 claims. (ci. s6- 182) This invention relates to circular-knitted stockings. Relatively cheap stockings are currently made of tubular fabric formed on circular knitting hosiery machines by continuous rotation throughout. The stockings thus formed are thereafter shaped permanently by a heat process. These stockings can be formed without any reinforcement or splicing at the heel, or alternatively reinforcement of the heel can be effected during the circular knitting.

Reinforced heels can be formed by courses of additional stitches which are knitted during the circular motion of the machine, or merely by introducing a reinforcement or splicing into the courses of stitches of the fabric, in the zone in which the reinforcement is to appear.

According to the present invention there is provided a stocking formed from tubular fabric which has been produced by the continuous rotation of the needle cylinder of a circular knitting hosiery machine and having reinforcement or splicing at the heel, the reinforcement extending over a central zone anked by two lateral zones of substantially triangular shape, the reinforcement on said lateral zones being formed by a splicing yarn which has lbeen introduced into spaced-apart courses of stitches, and the reinforcement of said central zone being formed both by the extension thereacross of the reinforcement of the lateral zones and by the introduction of a splicing yarn into intermediate courses of stitches in said central zone.

The present invention also provides a stocking which has been formed throughout by circular knitting and has a reinforced heel, the reinforcement of the heel extending over a central parallel-sided zone flanked by two lateral zones of substantially triangular shape and having been formed by the introduction of a splicing yarn into spacedapart courses of stitches extending over the lateral and central zones, whilst in the central zone, either a splicing yarn has been introduced into intermediate courses, or the stitches are enlarged relative to those of the lateral zones.

The present invention further provides a method of forming a reinforcement in the heel zone of a circular knitted stocking which comprises, during rotational knitting, introducing a splicing yarn into spaced-apart courses of stitches over a central reinforcement zone and two lateral reinforcement zones of substantially triangular shape, flanking said central zone and introducing a splicing yarn into intermediate courses of stitches over only the said central zone.

In particular, the splicing yarn is introduced into alternate stitch courses of the lateral zones, whilst the central zone is formed With enlarged stitches and has a splicing yarn in each stitch course.

This arrangement provides a tubular fabric which is strong in the heel and which can be easily fitted onto the shaping board and is more easily maintained in the correct position for shaping of the heel, despite the tendency towards slippage which a stocking undergoes during the heat treatment.

One embodiment of the invention is shown, 'by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. l shows a portion of a stocking with reinforcement or splicing at the heel;

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FIG. 2 is a developed view of the heel zone shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 illustrates diagrammatically the heel structure.

FIG. 4 is an enlargement of a portion of knitted fabric comprising the three different zones of the fabric.

FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing show a stocking having a reinforced heel zone T. This stocking having a reinforced heely zone T. This reinforcement is formed by introducing reinforcing or splicing yarns in the heel zone, by needle-rejection or by the cyclic lowering and raising of the yarn-guides for the splicing yarn, or in any other known manner. According to the illustrated embodiment, this reinforcement is formed by two substantially triangular lateral reinforcement zones T1 which flank a substantially rectangular reinforcement zone T2. The zones T1 are formed by introducing a splicing yarn F1 into the fabric C of the stocking, which is relatively thin yarn. This splicing yarn F1 is introdu-ced during the formation of the stitches in alternate courses, both for the zones T1 and for the zone T2. In the zone T2, in addition to the reinforcement formed by the splicing yarn F1, a splicing yarn F2 is introduced over the width of the zone T2. Although, as stated above, the splicing yarn F1 is introduced in the alternate stitch courses of the triangular zones T1, in the zone T2 the splicing yarn F2 is introduced into the intermediate stitch courses, so that in this zone all the stitch courses receive a reinforcement yarn.

In the rectangular central zone T2, an enlargement of the stitches is also effected in `any known manner during the formation of the tubular fabric, so that the zone T2 is distinguished from the two zones T1 which flanked it both by the introduction of the supplemental yarn F2 and by the enlargement of the stitches which form the zone T2.

In FIG. 4 F0 denotes the fabric yarn of the zone C, F1 the splicing yarn being inserted in the Zones T1, T2, T1 and F2 the yarn inserted in the zone T2.

The stocking may also be formed, adjacent the heel, with a zone T3, having a stitch formation like that of the zones T1, extending along the sole.

I claim:

1. A stocking formed from tubular fabric which has been produced by the continuous rotation of the needle cylinder of a circular knitting hosiery machine and having reinforcement or splicing at the heel, the reinforcement extending over a central zone flanked by two lateral Zones 0f substantially triangular shape, the reinforcement on said lateral zones being formed by .a splicing yarn which has been introduced into spaced-apart courses of stitches, and the reinforcement of said central zone being formed both by the extension thereacross of the reinforcement of the lateral zones and by the introduction of a splicing yarn into intermediate courses of stitches in said central zone.

2. A stocking according to claim 1 wherein the stitches in said central zone are enlarged relative to the stitches in the lateral zones.

3. A stocking according to claim 1 wherein the splicing yarn has been introduced into alternate courses of the lateral zones and into each course of the central zone.

4. A stocking according to claim 1 wherein the lateral zones have been formed by plain stitches.

5. A stocking which hasV been formed throughout by circular knitting and has a reinforced heel, the reinforcement of the heel extending over a central parallel-sided zone flanked by two later-a1 zones of substantially triangular shape and having -been formed by the introduction of a splicing yarn into spaced-apart courses of stitches extending over the lateral and central zones, whilst in the central zone the stitches are enlarged relative to those of the lateral zones.

6. A method of forming a reinforcement in the heel one of a circular-knitted stocking which comprises, durlg rotational knitting, introducing a splicing yarn into paced-apart courses of stitches over a central reinforcelent zone vand two lateral reinforcement zones of subtantially triangular shape flanking said central zone, and itroducing a splicing yarn into intermediate courses of titches over only the said central zone.

7. The method according to claim 6 which further comirises forming enlarged stitches in said central zone.

Lk References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/ 1953 Thompson 66-182 6/ 1953 Dowell 66-182 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STOCKING FORMED FROM TUBULAR FABRIC WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED BY THE CONTINUOUS ROTATION OF THE NEEDLE CYLINDER OF A CIRCULAR KNITTING HOSIERY MACHINE AND HAVING REINFORCEMENT OR SPLICING AT THE HEEL, THE REINFORCEMENT EXTENDING OVER A CENTRAL ZONE FLANKED BY TWO LATERAL ZONES OF SUBSTANTIALLY TRIANGULAR SHAPE, THE REINFORCEMENT ON SAID LATERAL ZONES BEING FORMED BY A SPLICING YARN WHICH HAS BEEN INTRODUCED INTO SPACED-APART COURSES OF STITCHES, AND THE REINFORCEMENT OF SAID CENTRAL ZONE BEING FORMED BOTH BY THE EXTENSION THEREACROSS OF THE REINFORCEMENT OF THE LATERAL ZONES AND BY THE INTRODUCTION OF A SPLICING YARN INTO INTERMEDIATE COURSES OF STITCHES IN SAID CENTRAL ZONE. 